Berghaus Cyclops 3 > Reviews > A quality pack for a rough user.

Author's product rating:   

Comfort	Extremely comfortable
Weight of bag itself	Slightly too heavy
Design	Excellent
Durability	Very durable
Value for money	Good

Advantages:	Well built, Good load transfer, Non sweat back system
Disadvantages:	Heavy, looks slightly odd, Occipital cavity doesnt work, front pocket opening too small .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The Cyclops III is the update to the legendary if not popular cyclops series of rucksacks. Whereas most manufacturers offer packs with an ajustable back system the Cyclops series take a differant approach. Instead of buying the pack and ajusting it you by it in back sizes - size 1 and 2 for the ladies and sizes 2, 3 and 4 for the lads.

Of course berghaus arent unique in using this method of sizing, a number of firms use it but the vast majorty of packs are adjustable/

So whats on the pack? Well there have been some tweeks since i bought mine in 2002.

Starting from the bottom up theres a hib belt with what berghaus describe as "grabber" fins, what this means that the hip belts uses a mix of firm and softer foams on a precurved plate so it wraps around the wearers hips. In anycase the cyclops has a reputations as being a good load carrier and the hip belt is a fundemental part of this. Full marks there for load transfer/ Theres also a pocket on the right fin of the hip belt - whilst some bemoan its uselessness i find it handy for stuffing with sweets!

Moving up the back system and you can notice a funny and firm shape in the padding - this is the evabreate foam. This is made up of a number of layers of honeycomed EVA which lets air flow through the foam. Does it work i hear you ask? Well yes it does. Its quite effective, although the padding has a firm almost blocky feeling that some users may not like. The evabreathe foam is found on the straps of the sack as well.

At the sides are two expandable pockets - these are useful but perhaps the zips could be a little bit longer to facilitate getting long items in and out of the pack.

Also on the right hand side of the pack is a waterproofed zip. Why Berghaus decided to put a waterproof zip at the side of the pack when the pack itself is not waterproff is beyond me, but when traveling abroad in hot climates it is a great feature - you can just reach in and grab something.

At the front of the pack there is a pocket. I have heard hat this pocket is fully waterproof on 2004 versions of the cyclops, but in 2002 it had a mesh drainage patch at the bottom. The idea being that you would put wet equipment and cloting into the pocket and water could drain out the bottom. Nice idea but the pocket and the zip opening were to small for it to be effective.

A further quirk is the ofset opening at the base of the pack. This is on the right hand side an claims that this ofset opening makes it easier to use - less force is needed to open or close the zip and the rucksack is set on its side - hence the backsystem doesnt get wet..

Inside there is the usual drawstring devider and a slot for a hydration system with an outlet for the attached hose. Its large eneough but i've never seen the point in these - hydration systems get crushed when the pack is full!

Finally at the top of the rucksack is a ordinary twin drawcord closure system, with a really useful rope compression strap. You dont need to be carrying rope for this to be useful. There is a sizeable top pocket and a reasonably sized zipped pocket under the lid as well.

So what abou those changes i mentioned and what about that occipital cavity?

The idea of the occipital cavity is that the top bar of the rucksacks frame is curved inwards so the user can tilt his or her head backwards without rubbing off the pack. The top bar isnt at the right level for this to happen with some users so its a bit pointless.

As for the changes - well the hipbelt seems to have been updated with a sort of a plasticy exoskeleton with the berghaus "EXTREM" logo at the side. As perviously mentioned there is the new waterproof pocket and there are rumors that the Dry Fusion (creats a 100% waterproof pack) technology employed on the Extrem Crag rucksack will make its way to the cyclops for 2005.

In anycase the cyclops carrys a heavy load well and is a tough as they come. If you need a serious pack you wont go far wrong with this.

UPDATE: I've had a look at the latest Version of the Cyclops III and noticed the follwing things : The Evabreathe foam is now softer - which should quash the complaints about the back system feeling softer. The new updated hip belt has more venting and is also softer.